All Eyes On Him
by ExGratia
Summary: It's been one month already since Ace was brought on board of the Moby Dick against his will and he still can't bring himself to fit in. And the obvious attraction he feels for a certain blond division commander doesn't make it any less difficult for him either. / MarcoAce
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I think most of you are not even aware of my undying and never ending love for this pairing. I spent quite a long time recently reading lots of MarcoAce fanfiction. After having read some of LeiaGray's fanfics I couldn't help myself anymore. I HAD to write this! In case you haven't read her stories yet I recommend you to check them out. All the MarcoAce love will make you suffer from nosebleed. You may need a blood donation. Like Sanji did that one time. Remember?**

**Anyway, I am really excited to publish my first Marco x Ace fanfic! (:**

* * *

All Eyes On Him

Ace was sitting alone - of course - at one of the dark wooden tables in the huge mess hall on board of the Moby Dick. Everything on this ship was bigger than average and the freckled man guessed it was _their_ way of showing off _their_ power and _their_ superiority.

The fucking Whitebeard Pirates.

He was picking at the plate of food in front of him, not really feeling any hunger at all. Usually, Ace would have devoured everything within seconds and he was more than aware of his strange behavior. But ever since he was brought on this ship he felt different. Completely powerless. Ace hadn't even been aware of weak he actually was until he met the Whitebeard Crew! And it was slowly driving him crazy.

Just like the constant whispers around him were slowly driving him crazy.

"Is that the new guy?" he heard someone saying nearby, definitely loud enough for Ace to understand, and it made him grit his teeth. Those bastards weren't even trying to be subtle anymore.

"Yeah. Oyaji said he had potential." Ace wanted to punch something. Hard. Preferably a face. Their words just made him feel like an utter fool.

"Why? He doesn't look that strong."

"Don't question the old man's decision."

"Is he still trying to take his head?"

"Yes, trying. And failing."

There was a small laughter and it took all of Ace's will power to not stand up and set the whole room, including all people in it, on fire.

He gripped the knife in his hand harder, feeling the cold metal digging into his palm. He wanted to walk up to them and tell everyone that one day he would be successful. And then, he'd be off of this ship before anyone could blink an eye.

However, these pirates took everything from him, including his crew. There was no way Ace could leave the way he was now.

"He's really handsome, I enjoy looking at him."

"Why don't you walk up to him and try to befriend him then?"

They started laughing again and Ace immediately understood why. They were laughing because Ace already had a reputation for rudely shoving off everyone who tried to approach him. It didn't help that everyone on the Moby Dick was treating him so ridiculously well, though, no matter how mean he acted.

But still, his pride wouldn't allow him to befriend with anyone on this ship. Everyone here, no matter how kindly they smiled at Ace, was an enemy and a potential threat to him. He tried not to focus too much on the whispers anymore, they were just distracting him.

Luckily, everyone stopped whispering completely when the main doors to the mess hall parted gently.

Every chattering pirate in the room turned silent and all heads turned towards the two figures walking through the doors.

Ace rolled his eyes annoyedly, not really understanding why everyone was being so goddamn dramatic on this ship. However, curiosity got the better of him and he decided to turn around as well to look at the ones who caused the abrupt silence.

And the moment he did, he regretted his decision.

Walking through the doors were the same two people who had been messing with his head since the very first second he had woken up after the fight with Whitebeard. Marco, First Division Commander, and Thatch, Forth Division Commander.

It was obvious that all the other people around Ace respected those two highly. The fact that nobody dared to talk anymore was enough of a proof. Ace had never really wanted to look at both of them thoroughly, he was always avoiding their gazes, but this time he couldn't help himself.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Ace let his gaze wander to the division commanders. His dark eyes met the form of the blond's body first and Ace soon found himself unable to avert his gaze from the man. His skin was completely lacking scars which was truly unusual for an experienced pirate. Ace was sure that he had never been able to spot a single bruise on the man, not even after he had returned from one of their many battles, and it gave him a mysterious aura. His blue eyes were piercing as they drifted carelessly over the crowd of people, not bothering to give anyone a particular glance. His blond hair was always kind of messy and his purple shirt was unbuttoned all the way down, giving everyone the opportunity to stare at his well-defined abs and the large tattoo that graced his chest.

Ace couldn't suppress the tiny shudder that shot up his spine at the sight.

Not bothering to look at the other man by Marco's side, Ace turned his attention back to his meal, pushing the food from one side of the plate to the other with his fork again. Those two always made attempts at convincing Ace to stay on the Moby Dick and he certainly didn't want them to annoy him now as well, so he decided to simply ignore them and act like he hadn't even seen them.

He still failed to ignore the way his heart was beating so wildly against his ribcage.

It was beyond his understandings. Sure, Ace had seen his fair share of attractive people in his life - Actually, he was rather attractive himself - but the sight of this one man left Ace feeling extremely confused. He didn't really know if it was utter hatred or some kind of curiosity he held for the blond. It was frightening.

Despite his earlier thoughts, Ace couldn't help himself and looked up at the two men again from over his shoulder. The two of them made their way to several other men, probably some of their subordinates. Ace was not the brightest star on the sky, but he could easily tell how much power those two possessed. Not only physical power, but also power _over _people. Even the most muscular pirates of their division looked so small in comparison to them.

Ace seized the opportunity to look at the commander of the forth division as well. Unlike the other man, his hair was darker and perfectly in place. He looked neat from head to toe. Even though he could not see his naked chest, Ace could tell that he was rather muscular with broad shoulders.

An uneasy feeling filled Ace's stomach and the freckled man soon found himself unable to continue with his meal. The sudden change of atmosphere in the room didn't improve his mood either. He wanted to get up and leave, but his eyes seemed to be glued on the blond man. This was the first time _he _was looking at Marco. Usually it was the other way around with people always looking at Ace like he was a new animal in some kind of zoo.

The blond was still busy talking to one of his division members and Ace mentally wondered if he was even aware of Ace being in the same room as him. He couldn't understand what they were talking about though, Marco was too far away from him.

And as if he could hear his thoughts, the blond suddenly turned his head and looked directly at Ace.

The younger man froze right on the spot - Just from Marco looking at him. He lowered his eyes immediately, not wanting to get caught staring, although it was probably too late by now anyway. However, even though he avoided his gaze, Ace could still feel the first commander's eyes piercing through his body - just like he usually did when he watched Ace. And again, it made Ace feel so goddamn weak that he wanted to crush something.

Much to his surprise, the blond ended his discussion with the other men the same second he caught Ace staring. As a result, everyone in the mess hall turned their heads to glance at the person their commander was looking at. Great, this was exactly what Ace hated the most.

The blond man probably sensed the uneasiness he caused the dark-haired man and slowly turned his bored eyes away from him again. Ace felt his face heating up a little bit, but he would be damned if he allowed someone on this ship catching him blushing. As he carefully turned his dark eyes to the man again, Ace saw Marco leaving through the big doors again. As soon as he was gone, Ace felt his body visibly relaxing.

God, he hated being here.

* * *

Ace was lying on his back on his bed, his heart still pounding madly as he stared at the ceiling of his small room. He wanted to catch some fresh air but he assumed that the deck was still filled with people Ace just wanted to avoid. He decided that he would wait a bit and sneak out in the middle of the night when everyone else was sleeping.

Damn...

The freckled man let out a frustrated groan and rubbed his face with his hands. What the fuck was he doing? He was acting like a scaredy cat! Why was he so damn nervous about just leaving his room? The others on this ship obviously respected him for whatever reason and no one ever tried anything to harm him. He was Fire Fist Ace, goddamnit, his name alone was enough to make other people run away in fear. With a determined nod to himself, Ace got up from his bed and left his room.

He was surprised to see not even nearly as many people outside as he had expected. In fact, apart from himself, there were only a handful of other people on the huge deck. Contrary to his expectations, they didn't even look up at him either. Two men were sitting cross-legged on the ground playing cards and drinking sake, one man was standing in a corner smoking a cigarette and another man walked into the direction of his own room again, leaving the deck. It was a rather comfortable atmosphere and Ace appreciated that _finally _people on this ship had started minding their own business.

He walked up to the railing and stared at the deep blue water first, then slowly let his gaze travel all the way up to the evening sky. The sight itself was breathtaking. The sky was painted in so many colors, ranging from a bright orange shimmer where the sun was slowly setting to a dark blue in the distance.

The sound of footsteps filled his ear and Ace soon realized that someone was walking up to him. Of course, no one would ever let him enjoy a moment of silence. He tried to keep his body relaxed and his eyes on the sky. He didn't even want to know who was coming to him since everyone on this ship had the same annoying intentions. Just a few moments later, Ace noticed a large shadow right next to him, but didn't make any move to show the intruder that he cared. Whoever this guy was, Ace guessed that if he kept ignoring him long enough he would get bored of this and leave him alone again.

But still, the other person didn't move and continued standing right behind Ace as if he was waiting for the freckled man to turn around and acknowledge his presence.

Ace huffed annoyedly and turned around - reluctantly, though. He was used to people on this ship staring at him, but he could not stand anyone watching him behind his back.

When he was faced with the man in front of him, Ace tensed.

Marco had one of his hands casually placed on his waist, his expression as unreadable as usual.

"What do you want?" he asked the first commander, forcing himself not to show any signs of intimidation caused by the other man.

"You're supposed to be on watch today, yoi." Ace felt his face flushing from the sound of the blond's calm voice. He turned around again, not wanting the other man to notice the slight blush on his cheeks.

"I am not a member of this crew. I don't care for any duties." Even though Ace couldn't see him, he knew that his reply was definitely not enough to make Marco leave.

"You are. You've been one for about a month now." Marco's voice was deep and serious and it sent shivers running down Ace's spine.

"Says who?" He surprised himself with the pissed tone in his voice, but he really was sick of it. He was sick of having the same conversation with Marco over and over again. "I'm just waiting for the right opportunity to leave."

He half expected Marco to be taken aback by the harshness of his voice, but was dumbstruck instead when the other man just started chuckling slightly. Ace balled his fists, ready to punch to this guy.

"Nobody's forcing you to stay, yoi. And you've already had plenty of opportunities to go. The fact that you're still here shows that you don't really want to leave, do you?" Marco met Ace's eyes, not breaking eye contact.

"I guess I know what you're thinking, yoi." Marco continued before Ace had gotten the chance to say something about the blond's previous statement. "You probably think you're weak because you're a member of the Whitebeard Pirates now."

Ace had to fight trying to keep calm. He felt like the other man was just toying with him. But at the same time another part of him was amazed at how easily Marco managed to read him like an open book.

"Let me make one thing clear to you," Marco said quietly, his eyes glistening in a way that reminded Ace of an animal that was looking at its prey. "The moment you became a member," Ace swallowed hard as Marco gradually closed the distance between them until their faces were mere inches away from each other. "-was also the moment your power reached its highest peak."

The air around them had changed at some point and Ace suddenly realized how difficult it had become for him to breathe properly. However, he refused to show any kind of weakness. "Sure. You guys are so nice for showing me how strong I am by humiliating me in front of the whole world."

But if Ace thought Marco would be impressed by this sarcastic statement, he was sadly mistaken. The blond kept his bored eyes on the younger man, not blinking. Ace then noticed the blond's eyes slowly drifting down to his mouth and Ace could have sworn that he almost _felt _Marco's gaze on his lips, making his body shivering lightly. After a few second Marco moved his eyes up again, locking gazes with Ace one last time before turning around and just walking away from him.

"That sharp mouth of yours..." He didn't look at Ace as he kept walking. "...it surely makes things more interesting."

The last sentence was merely a whisper, but Ace heard him regardless. And the statement confused him more than anything else Marco had ever said to him so far.

* * *

Ace hadn't slept well last night. His tired eyes reminded him of it whenever he looked at himself in a mirror. He had spent way too much time last night thinking about everything Marco had told him. Should he really feel honored for being kept on the Moby Dick? It was true, though. The Whitebeard Pirates weren't particularly known for being a bunch of weaklings. After all, there was a reason the Marines always went mad whenever they got the information of another pirate joining the crew or allying with Whitebeard.

Was it true? Was he really more powerful now than before?

It were questions like these that had infiltrated Ace's mind and refused to leave, causing him a restless night. And then there was another reason...

Marco.

Ace gritted his teeth. He couldn't point it out exactly, but there was something about the blond commander that made Ace feel both, the need to punch a wall with all of his power and the need to turn away whenever the man got too close to him. Marco was strong, Ace didn't even try to question it, considering he was the first division commander...

He sighed frustratedly and rolled out of bed, changed his clothes and staggered outside. Maybe he was too tired or it was too damn early in the morning, but it took Ace quite a moment to notice the man leaning against the wall right next to the door of his room as if he had been waiting for him the whole time.

Ace forced himself not to look too surprised. The moment he locked gazes with Marco's blue eyes he quickly looked away again. His action didn't really have that much success though as Ace still felt the other's eyes on him. Instead of greeting him or asking Marco what he was doing, Ace just walked past him.

Unfortunately, Marco was not a man you could simply ignore.

The moment he passed him, Ace felt a strong hand on his shoulder, preventing him from walking any farther. He turned around and found himself uncomfortably close to the very same man he had been trying to ignore.

"Stop,-" He said in a low voice "acting like a goddamn child, yoi."

Ace shrugged the hand on his shoulder off, intending to turn around again. "Where am I acting like a child?" Even though he asked Marco a question, he wasn't actually keen on keeping this conversation up.

"I was waiting for you because I wanted to accompany you to breakfast, yoi. You could at least have greeted me, you know." Marco walked right next to Ace, staring at him as he spoke.

"And what makes you think I want you to do that?" Ace took bigger steps, gradually increasing his pace in an attempt to get the other man to leave him alone.

With one quick movement, Marco stepped ahead of Ace and blocked the younger man's path, making Ace almost crash into Marco's bare chest. "In case you haven't realized it yet," Marco's voice was still as calm and collected as always. "-we are a crew. Whether you like it or not, yoi. So stop making things unnecessarily difficult."

Ace just glared at the man in front of him. "Get out of my way."

"No." There was a long pause with both men simply staring at each other.

"What do you want?" Ace was the first one to break the silence and narrowed his dark eyes again, trying to look as intimidating as possible, completely contrary to the man in front of him who looked unimpressed.

"You've got quite a temper in the morning, yoi." Marco's lips curled into a little smile and Ace wasn't really sure if he was smiling genuinely or mockingly at him. "It's really attractive."

Ace tensed, not really believing what he had just heard. "What?"

Now Marco's smile turned into a grin and yes, this time Ace was sure that the older man was just mocking him. "I guess you've just woken up, right? Your hair is completely messy and your eyes look really tired, yoi. Tell me, Ace," The two men continued staring into each other's eyes as Marco leaned closer to the dark-haired man's face, whispering into his ear. "-what exactly kept you from sleeping last night?"

Ace's mind was completely blank, he had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. He knew he was slowly losing his patience.

"Just say it," He finally opened his mouth to speak again. "-what do you want from me?"

Marco let his eyes wander up and down Ace's body. The younger man couldn't help but feel like it was the very same look that _always _made him feel so nerveless.

"Come to my room today, yoi. Right after lunch."

Ace froze.

Marco didn't really just say that, did he? He quickly gave the older man a look and cocked his head slightly to the side. "And what exactly makes you think I want to?"

Just like yesterday, Marco's eyes left his own to stare at his lips. "Your tongue never fails to amaze me, Ace." Something about this statement was highly suggestive, Ace was fully aware of it.

Marco took one step forward, causing his own chest to slightly brush against Ace's. The freckled man felt his face heating up from the contact as their faces came so close to touching. He could feel Marco's breath against his skin, his own body immediately reacting to the other man's proximity. Ace lowered his gaze, unable to look right into Marco's blue orbs. His breathing sped up a little bit, but not too much for the other man to notice. He didn't know what caused him to feel this way, but he couldn't deny that his body was feeling strangely good.

Suddenly, before Ace could fully enjoy the closeness of the other man, Marco drew back. He looked at Ace for a couple of seconds and then turned around, slowly walking away from him, leaving the young man standing all alone in the middle of the hallway of the ship.

He didn't know whether to curse or thank Marco for leaving him like that. He took one deep breath after another, trying to calm his beating heart. He would not give in.

There was no way he could allow himself to give in.

* * *

The rest of Ace's day had been really quiet so far - And Ace didn't trust it.

No one tried to approach him, people stopped gawking at him and the whispers died down noticeably. It was as if everyone on this ship knew something about Ace that caused them to stop talking about him. Ace shook his head. He was being paranoid. Maybe people just got used to him and didn't even question him being a new member anymore.

He was currently sitting in the crow's nest, watching a seagull flying in the sky. Maybe he should report it to the others? After all, a seagull was a sign that they were probably close to an island. He let out a little huff and shook his head. He'd rather not. Maybe if he did a really shitty job as a watchman they'd voluntarily kick him out of the crew? A small smile graced his lips at the thought, because he soon realized how ridiculous it was. They didn't want him on this ship for _this_, they wanted him for his strength.

Suddenly, he felt someone gently tapping on his shoulder and looked up only to come face to face with brown eyes.

"Hey Ace!" Thatch said in a cheerful voice. "Seems like you're not putting too much effort into your job." He let out a warm laugh and pointed at the sky where the seagull was flying off into the distance.

"Hi," Ace responded automatically, his eyebrows still furrowed suspiciously as he looked at the man who sat down next to him. "What is it?"

"Huh?" Thatch seemed confused for a second as he looked back at Ace. "Oh, right!" Suddenly, the man laughed again and relaxed himself against the wood, crossing his arms behind his head. "Marco told me that you are in a particular bad mood today. Since you never take anything on this ship seriously, I decided to be your partner for today's watch."

Ace blinked his eyes several times, struggling to find something clever to say in response. "That's...cool, I guess." was his not so witty answer he came up with.

Thatch gave him an amused look. "...What? You're not telling me to piss off this time?" He threw his head back a little bit and laughed again.

Ace soon realized that he had never been this close to the man before. Something about Thatch was fascinating him, probably the natural and cheerful atmosphere the man created so easily. Ace would have vehemently denied it, but Thatch didn't really annoy him as much as other people did. Probably because of his positive personality that made everything so much easier. And unlike another certain commander, Thatch was not unpredictable or complicated.

"Why do we even have to do this? Being on watch, I mean."

Thatch looked at Ace with a grin on his face. This was the first time the young man had started a conversation that did not begin with him telling Thatch to leave him alone. He then turned his eyes away to stare at the sky again. "Somebody needs to watch out for enemies. But I agree, it's a damn boring job." Thatch responded.

Ace smiled a little bit. "It's not like anyone would be happy to meet us. The sight of the Moby Dick is enough to scare other pirates shitless."

Besides him, Thatch jerked in surprise, causing Ace to look at him. "_Us_? So you finally consider yourself one of _us_?" Thatch was grinning wider than Ace had ever seen him doing, and he immediately felt the need to smack himself. He really had to think twice before he opened his mouth. But still, seeing Thatch so excited made him smile a little, too.

"You have a nice smile. You should do it more often." Thatch gave him that compliment so casually, it took Ace a few seconds to realize what the man next to him had said.

"Uh, thanks..." Ace replied slowly and in a low, uncertain voice.

"No, I really mean it! Look at me, I laugh all the time, it's nothing special anymore. But seeing you smiling for the first time since we brought you here is kinda heart-warming." Thatch looked away from the sky to focus his gaze on Ace again. "I would have told you sooner, but I never really got the opportunity to do so, until now."

Now, Ace was genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not sure whether you've noticed it, Ace, but Marco is always around you, and when he's not right next to you, he's watching you from the distance. He seems a little possessive of you, you know. Haven't you seen how he's always glaring at me whenever we're talking?"

Ace inhaled sharply. He didn't really know what to make of that information. Thatch seemed to sense his mild uneasiness, because he soon chuckled happily. "What? You really haven't noticed his interest in you? That makes you the most oblivious person on this ship, Ace."

Thatch kept his eyes on Ace's face the whole time. The freckled boy was obviously confused by Thatch's words. Ace wasn't able to read his expression, but he did notice a hint of incredible amusement in Thatch's eyes that looked surprisingly natural on the man's face.

"I think I still don't really get it." Ace said, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Ace," Thatch started slowly. "-annoying the shit out of new members is _my_ job. Marco never really gave a damn about people joining or refusing to join our crew. The fact that he's constantly trying to convince you to stay is like the ultimate sign-"

"Shut up." Ace snarled angrily, standing up. He didn't need this. He didn't need people trying to coax him with nice words. "I don't give a damn what he wants. _I _don't wanna be here, okay?"

Ace made an attempt to leave the crow's nest, but was stilled in his movements when Thatch's hand moved up to grip his wrist tightly. Of course his grip was not hard enough to hurt, but it was successful in stopping the dark-haired man from moving away - A reminder that Thatch was indeed a strong man.

Thatch had the slightest grin on his face as he watched the younger man looking at him with obvious disdain. "I think I know of something that will definitely convince you to accept being one of us."

He was watching Ace's face for a reaction and was pleased when the younger man changed his upset expression into one of curiosity. "What do you mean?"

Ace could practically feel the weight of Thatch's gaze on his body. "Come to my room after 6, alright? I'm sure you'll be delighted."

Lucky for him, Thatch loosened his grip and released Ace who didn't give Thatch a reply. He mumbled a quiet goodbye over his shoulder and practically sprinted to his room once he was down from the crow's nest.

Or rather, tried to sprint to his room.

"Hey Fire Fist!" some random guy shouted when Ace was just about to leave the Moby Dick's deck to get inside. He turned around and saw a man he had never seen before walking up to him, carrying one bottle of sake in each of his hands. It didn't surprise him that he had never seen this man's face before, though. The Moby Dick was huge and Ace wasn't even sure of how many people there were on this ship. The man slung his left arm around Ace's shoulder, like they were best friends. Ace narrowed his eyes slightly but then noticed the smell of alcohol in the other's breath, making him wonder if this guy was just approaching him so casually because he was drunk.

"How about we drink something together! You seem alright!" Tempting. Ace actually thought about it for a second. Usually he wouldn't have agreed to drink something with the very same people he couldn't stand, but damn, he was a pirate. And just like any other pirate, Ace was no one to deny booze.

And as if the world around him could sense trouble, the man's eyes suddenly left Ace's face to look at someone walking up to them. From the way Ace felt the man shuddering, he could easily guess who that person was.

"Commander," the man said, his voice full of respect for the blond man in front of him. He dropped his arm from around Ace's shoulders the exact second Marco approached them.

Ace took a sharp breath as he allowed himself to move his eyes to the blond. Marco was standing there, only few feet away from them. At first Ace thought that the other's eyes looked normal, as apathetic as usual. But at second glance, Ace spotted another emotion in Marco's eyes. Was it... anger? He also had his arms crossed against his chest, looking perfectly calm. However, when Ace moved to look at the blond's fists, he spotted the older man's knuckles turning white from the force of his grip.

"Leave." Marco said with no trace of emotion in his voice, looking at the guy.

And before Ace could even say something, the man by his side ran off. Ace watched him retreat, actually feeling a little sorry for him.

With a nervous feeling in his stomach, he turned back to Marco who was just standing there, looking at Ace with obvious dissatisfaction. Ace didn't really know what to say. Marco stepped slowly forward and Ace immediately felt adrenaline rushing through his blood. His mind screamed for him to turn around, but Ace would never run away from the blond. Or anyone.

When he was close enough, Marco grabbed Ace by his wrist, exactly where Thatch had his hand just a few minutes ago, and dragged the younger man along with him as he walked inside the ship.

Ace tried to protest. "What are you doing?" Unlike Thatch's grip, Marco's actually _did_ hurt. But hell, he didn't want to show any kind of weakness, especially not in front of Marco.

"I need to talk to you in private, yoi." They passed a couple of rooms until Marco stopped at one of the many doors in the hallway, slammed it open and shoved Ace inside. Ace didn't get any chance to examine his surroundings, but he could tell that it was a small and dimly lit room, probably one of the many storage closets on the ship. Marco slammed the door shut and followed Ace who stumbled against the wall.

Ace's instincts screamed for him to run away from being trapped in such a small room. He opened his mouth to say something but Marco quickly clapped his hand over it, preventing Ace from speaking. He then tried to push the blond away, but was again unsuccessful when Marco roughly shoved him back against the wall without using much effort, pinning him perfectly in place.

And then, he felt Marco's warm breath against his ear. "Where were you after lunch?"

Fuck.

Ace had completely forgotten about it. He suddenly started breathing more heavily, his body obviously reacting to Marco's own body, making every spot on his skin tingle in a pleasant way.

"I hope you have a good excuse for this, yoi." Marco's voice was slow and very calm, but Ace knew that this was definitely not a good sign. It took all the will power Ace possessed to not start trembling. Marco then released the hand that was keeping Ace's mouth shut, and Ace immediately started panting in the hot and sticky air around them. The intensity of Marco's blue eyes sent little shots of electricity through his whole body. Somehow the dim light of the room made his eyes look even more smoldering.

Ace felt light-headed, the look Marco gave him was making his skin burn against his will. It was like his body betrayed him completely as he felt the man pressing his body so perfectly against his own. The sudden heat around them set every nerve on his skin on fire and for a moment Ace just wanted to close his eyes and enjoy the feeling.

"I-" Ace started, but he found it extremely hard to form a coherent sentence, considering the current situation he was in. He gulped one time and then moved his mouth to speak again. "I forgot it."

He wasn't too sure if it was a smart decision to be completely honest with Marco, but the hormones in his body made it a little difficult for Ace to come up with another excuse.

Suddenly, he felt the older man's face coming closer to his own. He felt the body heat of the pirate and the warm breath hitting his sensitive neck. Marco moved his head up a little bit and stopped when his lips were less than an inch apart from Ace's, making the younger boy feel every breath Marco took on his skin. Their bodies were aligned together perfectly, like Marco was the perfect fit for Ace. There was literally nothing between them expect for their clothes and the heated air. The thought alone was enough to make Ace's heartbeat increase and he was sure even the blond felt his heart pounding against his chest.

"Why do you still pretend that you don't want to join us? Everyone knows you want to be here, yoi. Everyone except for you." It was the first time Ace heard a hint of a growl in Marco's usually controlled voice. And it excited Ace to no end.

Before Ace could stop him, Marco moved his face closer to Ace's, nudging his cheek a little bit before letting his mouth travel down the freckled man's neck. His warm and soft lips ghosted over the heated skin, almost making the young man whimper in pleasure. His lips stopped over a particular sensitive spot on Ace's neck, and Marco let his mouth simply rest over the area. It was a simple touch, but the way Ace's body was completely paralyzed from the sensation of it made clear that Marco was in control over him.

Ace couldn't hold back anymore. His whole body was already feeling dazed. He then decided to shut his mind off and let his instincts take over. He pulled Marco tightly against him and rubbed his own body against the blond's.

The effect of the action was obvious. Marco groaned huskily in his throat and shoved their hips roughly together. He moved his hands along the sides of Ace's body and stopped them when they reached his hips, gripping the younger man so tightly, Ace was sure Marco's fingernails would leave bruises, despite his hands not even touching his naked skin.

He had to bite back a moan as pure ecstasy started pumping through his veins from the friction Marco's body provided him with. He threw his arms around Marco's shoulders and held onto him like the blond was the only thing that kept Ace from not falling to his knees. Both men were acting on raw instincts as wave after wave of pleasure raced through their bodies.

Ace panted heavily and looked at Marco's face, watching the other's reaction. The moment Marco saw Ace looking at him, with ragged breaths escaping his mouth, his face flushed and his eyes half lidded, he couldn't help himself anymore - He closed his own blue eyes and slowly moved his mouth closer to Ace's. But instead of kissing him, Marco paused when their lips were barely touching, making every pant Marco let out going straight into Ace's own mouth. It was an action that caused Ace feeling dizzy from arousal.

"You want a kiss?" Marco asked, never slowing down the movements of his hips. Ace was astonished how Marco managed to sound so collected, even though he was also obviously affected by their actions. The bulge in his pants that was rubbing against Ace's own clothed erection was proving it.

Ace tried to focus less on his movements and more on his breathing. When he finally found his voice, he managed to mumble a shaky "Y-Yes."

"Ask me for it. Say that you want me to kiss you."

Marco was just teasing him, it was obvious to the freckled boy. He definitely knew that Ace hated showing weakness and took full advantage of the current situation. However, his mind was too clouded and his body screamed for Ace to ignore the humiliation and to give in.

So he did just that.

"Please," he tried to move his mouth to close the small distance between his own mouth and Marco's lips, but the other one successfully drew back every time he sensed the dark-haired man moving closer. It was no use. He had to give in to Marco.

"Please, just...kiss me, please."

Marco licked his soft lips slightly before shoving them against Ace's warm mouth. Ace had never felt so aroused from just a simple kiss. It was intoxicating, forcing Ace to close his own eyes and moving his lips hungrily against Marco's - Just like his body was hungrily rubbing against the man in front of him. And he knew it wasn't enough. He wanted so much more than this.

Ace moved one of his hands from Marco's shoulder to tangle them in soft, blond hair. Suddenly, he felt Marco's right hand leaving his hip, too, as his fingers roughly buried themselves into Ace's dark locks, pulling the young man even closer. The kiss stole the breath away from Ace's lungs.

He moved his other hand away from Marco's shoulder as well and started running it up and down the older man's naked chest, caressing the heated skin with soft but demanding touches and appreciating the feeling of Marco's firm and defined abs. God, Ace felt like he was going to _burst_.

It was then, right before Ace was sure that he was just about to lose it completely, when Marco pulled back. He pushed the younger man roughly against the wall again. It took Ace a couple of seconds to realize that the warmth against his lips and body had disappeared. The younger man was panting heavily, as he tried to regain the ability to think straight again. When he moved his gaze up to meet Marco's eyes, he couldn't help but shudder.

The blond's hair was a little messier, but apart from that, he looked perfectly fine. Marco stood on steady feet, his breathing was regular and even though it was hard to see it due to the dim light, Ace was sure that the man in front of him wasn't even blushing.

"So you _do _want this." His voice was rough and merely above a whisper. The sound of his voice never failed to send tiny waves of excitement through Ace's body. "I knew you wanted this all along."

Ace wanted to protest, he really did, but he couldn't find his voice. His mind was still clouded with a mixture of lust and shame. Instead of giving the man a verbal answer, he just lowered his head a little, staring at the ground.

Marco brought his right hand up to his own head and adjusted his hair. It only took a few seconds for him to look like nothing had happened between them - Contrary to Ace, who still gasped for air every now and then, only coming down from this taste of a sexual high slowly. "I guess you won't try to deny what you want anymore. Believe me, by the time I'm done with you, you're never going to want to leave again."

Without another word, he turned around, ready to leave the room. He only gave Ace one last glance over his shoulder. "Hurry up, people will probably notice that we're gone, yoi." He smiled at Ace. "And we don't want them thinking weird stuff, right?" Marco opened the closet door and walked calmly away from him.

Ace didn't make any effort to hurry. He stood still and just watched the spot where Marco had stood just a few minutes ago. He focused on breathing in and out, trying to tame his still wildly beating heart. His legs felt weak and Ace wasn't sure if he was ready to walk out of the room.

_Weak..._

There was still a warm feeling in Ace's stomach and it made him want to throw up. For the first time in his life Ace didn't know what to do.

* * *

**A/N: This was actually supposed to be a one-shot but... I got a little carried away. I'm determined to finish the second chapter soon, so I hope I won't have to keep you guys waiting for too long :)**  
**Tell me if you liked it so far!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Oh god, oh god, shame on me, I didn't mean to wait so long for the second part D: Thank you guys for your interest and your encouraging words, it really means a lot to me :') You know what? Screw this, nobody's here for reading Author's Notes anyway, let's just go on with the story!**

* * *

"I don't think I'm gonna survive this..." Ace muttered the words into his pillow as he rolled over in bed. Black eyes moved up to stare at the dark wooden ceiling of his room, the memories of the incident from earlier still horribly present. Ace clenched his teeth angrily. He had sworn to himself that he would _never_ give in to his temptation. And the worst part of it wasn't even that he had given in to someone he considered an enemy - The worst part was that for a few moments Marco had actually made him feel_ amazing_.

Ace let out an annoyed groan and moved his right hand up, rubbing his face in frustration. Everytime he closed his eyes, images of Marco appeared in his head - images of Marco pushing his body against his own, moving his strong hands all over Ace, pushing his warm mouth against his own lips...

The dark-haired man was sure that he even needed a goddamn shower to get Marco's musky scent off of him. For some reasons his body just reacted to Marco in a way that he had no control over.

And now all he wanted to do was to lie there in his bed. He had absolutely no motivation to leave his room. He had no plans for the future, no one to talk to and no place to go.

It was then when Ace opened his dark eyes that he had unconsciously closed at some point. Actually, now that he thought about it, there _was _someone waiting for him. He sucked in a deep breath and allowed his mind to forget about the blond commander for a moment and to think about another certain man he had talked to today.

Actually, visiting Thatch was the perfect opportunity to get some well-needed distraction. There was something about the fourth division commander that Ace really liked. Probably his easy-going personality and carefree attitude. Besides, Ace knew that he would just keep thinking of Marco if he stayed in his room and _that _was most certainly not what he wanted.

The freckled man nodded to himself and got out of his bed. He wanted, no, _needed_ someone to talk to. Preferably someone with no intentions to mess with his head.

* * *

It didn't take Ace a long time to find Thatch's room since all division commanders had their rooms located on the same hallway on the ship. Ace's footsteps echoed slightly as he walked into the direction of the fourth commander's room. The moment he passed the _first _door on the hallway, he felt his heart beating faster. What if Marco was in his room right now? Fuck, what if he decided to _leave _his room right now? Ace wasn't too sure if he was ready to face the man again, he definitely needed to avoid the blond a little longer. There was a voice in his head screaming for him to make a beeline for Thatch's room, really fast preferably.

Ace reached a thick set of wooden doors without meeting any other commander - thankfully. He could only imagine their curious glances and Ace was sure that he didn't need more of that now.

Ace knocked lightly, not wanting anyone else to hear him. Much to his surprise, the door opened almost immediately and Ace wondered if the tall man in front of him had been waiting for him the whole time.

"Hey Ace! I'm amazed you actually decided to come!" Thatch greeted him with a cheerful voice and stepped back to allow Ace to enter. "Come in!"

Ace stuffed his hands in the pockets of his black shorts and walked inside. Suddenly, when Ace was just about to walk past Thatch, the older man grabbed him by his shoulders and stopped him in his tracks.

"Hold on, what's up with your face? You look completely done." Thatch asked, a slightly worried tone clearly audible in his voice. Only a few seconds later, his worried expression changed into one of amusement. "Let me guess - Another failed assassination attempt?"

_'Pretty damn close.'_ Ace wanted to say, but kept his mouth shut instead. Thatch obviously sensed the younger man's worry and let him go, allowing him to walk past the commander. The moment Ace turned his head to take a closer look at Thatch's room, his eyes widened in surprise. "You... sure are a neat freak, aren't you?"

Thatch let out a whole-hearted laugh. He got this reaction everytime someone entered his room and he honestly didn't mind. It was true, Thatch liked to keep everything in place and clean. "I know," he replied with a bright smile. "This ship is so chaotic most of the time, I just like to have a place where I can feel comfortable."

Ace couldn't disagree. The atmosphere of Thatch's room was _definitely _more comfortable and it did a good job at relaxing Ace a little bit more. Thatch motioned to a small black couch in the corner of his room, indicating that Ace should sit down and disappeared into the direction of a small shelf on the other side of the room.

The younger man sat down on the couch and eyed his surroundings. It seemed like being a division commander sure had its perks. Thatch's room was definitely bigger than Ace's and it was _way _better equipped. Ace didn't have a couch, shelves, tables or anything like that in his room.

Thatch returned only one minute later with a bottle and two big glasses filled with dark gold-colored rum and offered one to Ace. The dark-haired man took it without hesitation, a nice drink was just what he needed right now. He slowly took a gulp, tasting the alcoholic beverage carefully, and was pleased to find out that the drink was actually pretty good. The alcohol left a burning sensation in his throat, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. His next swallow finished the glass completely and Thatch grinned at him, quickly refilling the glass.

"Thanks for the drink." Ace said, causing Thatch to look at him with genuine surprise.

"Wow, it's a rare thing to see a pirate with good manners." Thatch lips curved up in a smile again as moved his own drink to his mouth.

Even though he enjoyed talking to Thatch so casually, there was a question in Ace's head that he just needed to ask the man next to him. "So, why did you want me to visit you here?"

Thatch closed his eyes, still wearing a smile. He placed his own now empty glass on the table right next to him. "Marco told me that you haven't been acting like yourself recently. I wanted to know what he meant."

The name of the first division commander was enough to make Ace feeling strangely nervous. He took another small sip of his drink and felt his body gradually growing warmer. He was wondering if it was a good idea to drink when he hadn't even eaten properly for the last few days.

"I don't wanna talk about him right now." Ace broke the eye contact with Thatch and stared at his hands clutching the drink with a tight grip. It was true, Ace went to Thatch because he thought the other man would distract him from his thoughts about Marco and not talk about the blond.

Thatch leaned back, resting one arm on the back of the couch. "Did something happen between you two?"

Ace almost choked on his drink, but managed to gulp it down just in time. He could feel his heartbeat increasing, the alcohol that was hitting his bloodstream contributing greatly to his reaction. "N-No!" He lied, but the grin on Thatch's face made clear that the older man didn't buy a single word of what Ace was saying. "Nothing happened. Where did you get that idea from?"

Ace was nervous. Did Thatch know? Did Marco tell him? Fuck, what if Marco told _everyone_? Ace knew he wouldn't be able to make eye contact with anyone on this ship if everyone knew how easily he gave in to Marco.

Thatch just shrugged with his shoulders. "Just a smart guess." He took another sip of his drink before speaking again. "Let's say I wouldn't have been surprised if something had happened between you."

Ace titled his head, staring blankly at the brown-haired man. "What do you mean?" Somehow he couldn't stop his curiosity. Ace never had the impression that Thatch was a liar, so he was actually a little relieved to hear that the blond hadn't told him about what had really happened.

Thatch's grin widened in a playful way. "Would you be surprised if I told you that Marco has been acting rather strange the past few days, too?"

Now Ace's heart was beating so hard against his ribcage, the freckled man was sure that he could feel it. This was too much. Thatch was only confusing him more and more. He couldn't stand this.

"I'm sorry, but I better leave right now." Ace muttered. But when he was just about to get up from the couch, Ace felt a strong hand on his shoulder, keeping him down.

"Relax, we don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

Ace blinked and looked down on the glass in his hands. It was then when Thatch continued. "Actually, there's something else I want to talk with you about."

The younger man let out a huff, hoping that their next conversation didn't include the blond. He poured himself another drink as he looked cautiously at Thatch, waiting for the man to continue.

"Ace, are you still indecisive about joining us?" Thatch said, his voice more serious now and Ace couldn't stop the tiny shudder that crept up his spine at the question. He didn't really want to talk about this either and silently started to regret that he even came to Thatch's room.

He moved his eyes to Thatch again, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. "Why is everyone so interested in me joining you guys? I'm sure that I'm not the first person to possibly reject your offer." He growled irritably.

Thatch's grin was back in place when he heard the slight annoyed tone in Ace's voice and it angered Ace even more. Why was his suffering always making this man so damn happy? "No, you're not. As a matter of fact, we usually don't even care for other people who want to leave."

"Then why is everyone so obsessed with me?" Ace was slowly losing his patience, he could feel it. And the alcohol definitely helped him to speak his mind more openly.

Thatch moved his own glass to his lips again, never breaking eye contact with the freckled man for a second. "Because you are different." He gulped the whole content of his drink down in one go. "You are more interesting than anyone we've ever dealt with."

"You don't even know me." Ace quickly argued, but he knew that this was definitely not enough to convince the other man.

Thatch shifted his legs and moved them closer to Ace, his own knee touching Ace's. The dark-haired man didn't like the sudden touch, but he didn't want to complain about something like that. "But still people can't keep their eyes off you." Thatch grinned.

Ace's heart started pounding faster, the air between the both men getting warmer and warmer with every second. Was Thatch indirectly calling him attractive? Something within Ace was angry that Thatch only wanted him to visit to tell him _that._

"Thatch, look, that's no reason for me to-"

"I kinda like you, you know." Thatch interrupted him. He said the words so easily, it took Ace a moment to process what he had actually meant. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, the alcohol only intensifying the red tint.

"I'm sorry, but, I... Look, I really don't like you like _that_." Ace stuttered, even though he didn't know why it was so damn hard for him to find the right words to say. It _was _true, he really didn't have that kind of feeling for the other man.

Besides, something in his head told him that this was just not right.

"How can you be so sure?" Thatch gave him a playful grin and saying that Ace was confused would be an understatement. His mind was about to burst from all the questions in his head. Was it the alcohol that made Thatch act the way he did? He had never shown any sign of romantic interest in Ace before after all. Or maybe he was plotting something? Was he just trying to confuse Ace even more? God, what did the man want from him? Ace's thoughts got interrupted when Thatch decided to speak again. "Give me a kiss first."

Thatch watched with amusement as Ace's eyes slightly grew in size. "Y-You can't be serious." The freckled man tried to keep his voice calm but failed. The slight hint of insecurity was still audible in his voice.

However, Thatch kept grinning. "But I am. Come on, just one kiss. And if you still want to leave after that I'll never bother to try anything again, alright? And I'll make sure other people stop annoying you as well."

Ace could feel Thatch's knee moving slightly again his own with slow movements. There was something about Thatch's suggestion that made sense to him. And hell, if there was one thing Ace wanted right now it'd be people minding their own business and staying away from him. And he was sure that Thatch was a man who wouldn't go back on his word. It sounded promising and just what Ace needed right now. Also, a simple kiss couldn't be that bad.

But still...

There was something in his head telling him that this was far from okay.

"I am really not sure..." Ace looked down, his dark eyes filled with insecurity. Thatch chuckled slightly and moved closer to Ace, causing the younger man to stare up at him.

"Let me help you." Thatch said in a gentle voice and cupped Ace's face with both of his hands, pressing his lips softly against Ace's. It was a gentle kiss, not demanding in any way, just lips against lips. If the circumstances had been different, Ace would have said that it was a really nice kiss.

But something about this kiss made him feel sick.

He didn't want this.

This was _nothing_ like the kiss he had shared with Marco.

Thatch moved back after a few seconds, intending to part for air and then moving his lips back against Ace's, but before he got the chance to connect his lips with the younger man's again, he felt two hands on his chest keeping him at distance.

Ace looked up at him, his gaze suddenly more confident. "Look, Thatch, I-"

Ace didn't get to finish his sentence when suddenly the door of Thatch's room burst open with a really loud sound as the door was slammed against the wall. From the way Thatch's lips curled up in a grin, Ace could definitely tell who the person standing in the door frame was.

"Marco, nice to see you." Thatch said in a voice that sounded a little too happy for Ace's liking.

Ace took several breaths before he allowed himself to turn around to look at Marco. And the moment his eyes met the blond's blazing gaze, it felt like Ace's blood ran cold.

Fuck, Marco looked _furious_. The look he gave Ace showed absolutely no signs of any positive emotion. His fists were balled and Ace could clearly see that the blond was having a hard time controlling his anger.

As if on instinct, Ace pushed Thatch as far away from him as he could and got up from the couch. "M-Marco..." He was struggling with his words. "It's... I can explain this!"

He couldn't believe what he had just said. For some reasons he felt guilty - like he needed to apologize to Marco for kissing Thatch. And it was beyond his comprehension why exactly he felt like that. There was no need for Ace to justify himself after all. But still it was the first thing that came to his mind.

Marco had his arms folded against his chest, his fists gripping his own sleeves tightly. Ace could almost feel the heavy tension lingering in the air. And the utter silence of the room was making everything so much worse.

A low chuckle coming from Thatch was the only thing audible after a short time and it made Ace want to turn around and punch the guy as hard as he could. "So Marco, do you want anything?" He asked. Contrary to Ace, Thatch didn't seem concerned by the blond's sudden appearance. In fact, the brown-haired man only seemed to be amused by the fact that Marco had just caught them. And again, Ace felt absolutely mad because of it.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps slowly approaching Ace filled the room. Marco kept looking at him with his piercing blue eyes and that look alone was enough to make Ace inhale a sharp breath. He wanted to step back, but found himself unable to move away. Marco was practically _holding _him in place, just with the intensity of his eyes - And Ace couldn't do anything but stand there.

When he got close enough, Marco grabbed Ace by the wrist of his left arm. "Come with me." He said in a calm voice and tugged him along with him out of Thatch's room. For what felt like the hundredth time today, Ace was genuinely confused. The tone of Marco's voice was so low and not angry at all. Even the way he walked looked collected and for a second Ace wondered if the blond was not as angry as Ace had assumed. But then there was the tight, almost painful grip on his wrist that quickly changed his previous estimation. Ace didn't even say goodbye to Thatch as Marco walked out of the room with him.

When they were both out of the room, Marco immediately slammed the door shut, the sound so loud that Ace could have sworn that everyone on the ship must have heard it. He was just about to say something when Marco suddenly grabbed Ace by the shoulders and slammed him hard against the wall in the middle of the empty hallway.

Both men didn't say anything, only the sounds of heavy breathing coming from either of them audible. Marco held Ace in place and just stared down at him, blue eyes meeting blackness. The air around them was filled with tension.

Ace felt Marco's fingernails slowly but firmly digging into his shoulders. The blond's mouth parted slowly and Ace just wanted to look away. "Tell me,yoi..." Marco used the grip on Ace's shoulder to pull him a little bit away from the wall, only to slam him right back into it with more force. "What the hell were you even thinking, Ace?!" Fuck, Marco was mad, Ace could tell. He had seen the blond angry on several occasions, but this was nothing like what Ace had witnessed so far. Because this time, the blond's anger was directed at _him_.

Ace wanted to speak, but there was this lump in his throat that prevented him from doing so. What was he even supposed to tell Marco? The truth? That he only kissed Thatch because he had promised him to stop sticking his nose into his business afterwards? It sounded like a lame excuse, Ace was damn sure that even if he told Marco the truth the blond wouldn't believe it.

Marco kept the grip on Ace's shoulder as he moved his face closer to Ace's ear. For a moment he just let his mouth breathe hotly against the sensitive skin of Ace's ear and the side of his neck, the action causing Ace's body to shiver slightly. "Did he get you drunk and convinced you to make out with him?" Ace wanted to protest, he really wanted to tell Marco that this was not what happened. "Are you that easy?" Marco muttered into his ear and Ace was sure that for a second his heart stopped beating.

Fuck, he didn't want Marco to think of him that way. He wanted to tell him that Thatch's kiss was nothing compared to the kiss Marco and he had shared earlier, that Thatch's touch didn't even make him feel that good and that he probably only agreed to this because his mind was a little clouded from the alcohol. There were so many things Ace just wanted to tell him.

Ace inhaled deeply. It was a good thing that Marco currently had his face against Ace's neck, so the dark-haired man didn't have to look into Marco's eyes. "I..." He started, but cut himself off when he realized that he needed another deep breath. It was so damn hard to concentrate, especially with Marco grazing his warm mouth along his earlobe, occasionally nibbling on it. "I really didn't want this to happen-"

"How far did you want him to go?" Marco growled into his ear, his voice sounding cold. He then moved one of his hands away from Ace's shoulder to grab a fistful of Ace's dark hair, roughly yanking his head back so Ace was staring straight at Marco. And the moment he locked gazes with the blond, Ace couldn't help but feel helpless.

He had never seen this kind of emotion in anyone else's eyes before. It was a mixture of utter fury and disappointment. And the look alone was enough to make Ace feel sick. His stomach was filled with a shameful feeling.

He closed his eyes. "No, I-"

"Don't you fucking close your eyes!" Marco pushed him against the wall again, this time Ace's head hit the wall first, a sharp pain immediately racing through his body. "All this time I was trying to get you to fit in, I fucking threatened everyone to kick them off of this ship if they keep whispering behind your back, I wanted to talk to you even though I knew you'd tell me to piss off! I put so much fucking effort into trying to convince you that you belong to us and now you're doing _that_ behind my back?!"

Ace clenched his teeth and let out a loud hiss. Every word Marco said filled his heart with so many emotions at the same time - disgust, regret, sorrow, so many different kinds of pain. Ace had never felt so horrible before and he honestly didn't know what to do or how to handle it. So when he saw Marco still looking at him, his own eyes filled with something Ace could not name, he did the first thing that came to his mind.

He pushed Marco off of him, balled his right hand into a fist and punched Marco right in his jaw.

* * *

"Damn, do you have any idea how awful you look?" Izo said as he moved Marco's face to the side, examining the giant bruise on his jaw. "And I always thought leaving a bruise on you was sheer impossible, considering your healing abilities."

Marco let out an annoyed huff and allowed Izo to continue treating his wound. "It kinda caught me off guard, yoi..."

Izo cocked one elegant eyebrow at him. "You sound a little worried. Is it because the new guy did this?"

"Stop calling him 'the new guy', his name's Ace. And no, that's not the reason, yoi." Marco half-lied. Well, it was not like he was angry that a new member had fought him. It angered him that he hadn't been prepared for it. He had honestly never expected Ace to fight back.

Izo smiled warmly at him as he walked into the direction of their little medicine cabinet. "You are a little protective of him, aren't you? Today I even overheard some of my subordinates talking about how you scared them shitless yesterday just because they looked wrong at that boy." A small chuckle followed.

Marco grit his teeth, grabbing the fabric of his pants tightly. "That's because they are too fucking dumb to realize that they were making him feel uncomfortable with their constant staring."

"That's funny, considering you are probably the one who watches him the most." Izo grabbed a cotton ball and some strange looking liquid out of the cabinet and walked up to Marco again. He put some of the liquid on the cotton ball and moved it to Marco's face.

Marco just rolled his eyes. "That's just because I want to watch out for him. I'm not too thrilled about people bugging him."

When Izo was finished with his task of treating Marco's bruise he placed the items back into the cabinet. He returned a few seconds later and walked after Marco who went into the direction of the ship's deck. "You know Marco, it's funny how you don't even realize how much you're contradicting yourself."

Marco didn't turn around and just kept walking, his hands hidden in the pockets of his pants. "Where am I contradicting myself, yoi?" He snarled.

"Well, you don't want people annoying him or pushing him, yet you are probably the one who makes it the hardest for him." Izo walked right next to Marco, looking at him even though Marco kept his eyes on the ground. They walked rather slowly, almost lazily, which was unusual for both of them.

"It's different, I just..." Marco stopped in the middle of his sentence, he obviously had a hard time finding the right words. But thank God he was currently with Izo who gave him as much time to think as he needed. They reached the deck after a few minutes and realized that they were the only ones there. But it wasn't much of a surprise since it was already late at night. Marco walked up to the railing and stared down at the now completely dark water.

Izo let out a sigh. "You're not comfortable with the thought of him possibly leaving, right?"

"I'm terrified of the thought of him leaving."

Marco continued to stare at the water and Izo didn't really know how to comfort the blond with words. He placed his hand on Marco's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Maybe you should just tell him that."

Marco didn't respond at first. Was it really a good idea to _tell_ Ace that he desperately wanted him as a member instead of _showing_ him? Marco used to be convinced that his actions spoke louder than words. However, the pain in his jaw was telling him otherwise now. Did he really go too far? Fuck, what if Ace wanted to leave now? Because of him?

Marco moved his hand up to his face, rubbing it gently. "Maybe I should."

* * *

Ace didn't understand how it was possible for a pirate crew to have a party almost every day. Weren't they supposed to train or watch out for enemies? But then again, the Whitebeard Pirates were probably strong enough anyway. They didn't even need to train or care for anyone attacking them.

He knew that every member of the crew wanted Ace to join them, but he wasn't particularly in the mood for celebrating. He got nearly no sleep last night, the memories from what had happened between him and Marco successfully keeping him awake. Marco had looked so damn furious after he had caught Thatch and him kissing. And somehow he couldn't help but wonder if Thatch had planned for everything to go this way. But why? What the hell was he trying to achieve? Did he want Marco to completely lose his temper? Did he just want to cause more of that uncomfortable tension between him and Marco?

Ace gulped.

Or did he want Marco to confess his true intentions to Ace? To be honest, what Marco had told him yesterday was probably what Ace had thought about most last night. Was he really just trying to take care of him? It was true, whenever Marco was near him the whispers around Ace died down noticably. Ace's initial thought had been that they just behaved this way because of respect for their commander. However, Ace wasn't too sure about it anymore, especially after Marco had told him that he had been the one to tell them to shut up.

God, his mind was filled with so many unanswered questions, it was driving him stir crazy. In the distance he could hear people singing and cheering, and for a second he actually considered joining them in an attempt to forget everything that was on his mind.

He sighed loudly and turned around, hesitantly at first. No, he wasn't ready for this. He just wanted a moment of peace and decided that it would be the best to return to his room.

He kept his gaze on the ground as he walked and didn't realize that someone was leaning against the railing as he walked into the direction of his room.

The moment he passed the person, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder. The person was not pulling him or anything, he just prevented Ace from walking any further.

Ace turned around to look at the person stopping him in his tracks.

And froze when his own coal colored eyes met blue.

He quickly yanked Marco's hand away from his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the man. Suddenly he noticed the blue-ish bruise on Marco's jaw.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, yoi." The man said, his voice completely normal. There was no hint of anger or any other negative emotion anymore.

Ace tilted his head slightly to the side. "Guess I didn't punch you hard enough then."

Marco just looked at him for a few seconds and it was enough to make Ace feel nervous again. The blonds lips curled up in a smile and Ace immediately felt the urge to punch Marco again for mocking him with such an expression. However, the blond broke the eye contact with Ace and moved to the railing again, staring down into the clear blue water.

Ace didn't really know how to react. This was the first time Marco didn't really _do _anything to Ace.

"I want to apologize." Marco said and at first Ace wasn't really sure if he had heard him correctly or if he was imagining things.

"What?" He asked rather stupidly. Never in his life would he have expected Marco to be sorry for his actions.

"I want to apologize." Marco repeated as he looked at Ace from over his shoulder. "I didn't realize I was the one who made you feel uncomfortable the most, yoi. I just..." Marco closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "I just don't want you to leave."

Ace had absolutely no idea what to do. He wanted to smack himself to see if he was just dreaming. But instead, he opened his mouth to ask Marco what he had wanted to ask him the whole time. "So... What you said yesterday... It was the truth, wasn't it?"

Marco suddenly realized that Ace had moved closer to him at some point. He was also leaning against the railing now, watching the water together with Marco. "About me trying to look out for you, yoi? Yeah..." It was rather unusual for Marco to have such a conversation, but he knew that there was no way to avoid it.

Much to Marco's surprise, Ace started chuckling slightly. He moved his blue eyes to look at him. "You were doing a pretty shitty job at that, to be honest."

Marco snickered as well and stared into the endless depths of the sea again. "Yeah, I realized that, too."

"But why? Why is it so important to you if I stay or leave?" This was the first time that Ace was the one asking all the questions and he wanted to seize his opportunity to the fullest.

"Fuck, I don't know." Marco rested his elbows on the railing and moved his hands to tangle them in his own hair. For some unknown reasons this was really hard for him. He couldn't simply say how much he wanted Ace on this ship without fearing to creep the younger man out.

Ace sighed again. "This is weird, you know." He started, causing Marco to turn his head into Ace's direction to get a better view of the man's face. "I've never really had a place where people wanted me to stay." Marco observed the other man slowly lowering his gaze, a hint of insecurity also present in his voice. Ace turned his head towards Marco again, hesitantly though. "Do you... really want me to stay here?"

Marco watched the dark-haired man swallowing thickly. He paused for a moment, obviously deep in thought, and then looked Ace straight in the eyes. "If you really want to know it, yoi... The mere thought of you leaving and me never seeing you again..." He ran his hand through his blond hair. "...is enough to drive me completely crazy."

Ace felt a tingle running down his spine. For a moment there was nothing but thick silence between both of them. Marco was obviously struggling with what to tell Ace and the younger man was busy trying to process Marco's words.

"I understand if you _do_ want to leave now, though." It was the first time since Ace had been on this ship that he heard Marco sounding insecure. "What I did was way over the top."

"I punched you, remember? I need to apologize as well." Ace quickly added but it was by far not enough to convince Marco.

"No, you don't need to justify yourself. I provoked you, yoi. I should have stayed away from you from the beginning."

Something about Marco's words brought an uneasy feeling to Ace's stomach. Sure, if Marco had treated him like a normal new member, then this wouldn't have happened. But the thought of Marco treating him... _normal_ was something Ace didn't like. He didn't like the idea at all. He'd rather have Marco pushing him against the nearest wall and demanding for him to join the crew instead of Marco ignoring and avoiding him.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Ace spoke again. "I guess we both made some mistakes. You are not the only one who acted weird after all." Marco looked up at him again, his whole attention focused on the man next to him. He raised one eyebrow, not really understanding what Ace meant. But then the freckled man continued. "I shouldn't have pushed you away when in fact I wanted you to be close to me."

Marco saw Ace tightening his grip on the railing. He moved his own hand to Ace's, giving him a gentle and reassuring squeeze. "Ace..." He said, causing Ace to turn his head completely to the older man. When he was faced with the intensity of Marco's blue eyes, he felt his mouth go slightly dry.

Ace felt his heartbeat increasing slowly. Marco took a step forward to Ace, the distance between them slowly disappearing as Marco inched closer. His body felt hot, uncomfortably hot. When Marco advanced close enough to place his hands on either side of Ace's waist, the younger man knew that going away was not an option anymore. He moved Ace so that his back was pressed against the railing with Marco standing in front of him, trapping him in place.

"I sometimes can't even fall asleep because the thought of you leaving us..." Marco moved one of his hands to place it behind Ace's head. "...It makes me feel so powerless."

Ace's breath was ragged. He realized how many parallels there were between him and Marco. How they both felt weak sometimes, how they both just craved for the other's attention, how they both were so afraid to show what they truly wanted...

The younger man's breathing became more and more irregular. The gaze Marco gave him was so different from all the other times before. It wasn't intimidating or threatening, but exciting and it made him feel wanted. And he didn't want it to stop.

He wanted Marco to make him feel wanted.

"I've never felt like this before, yoi..." Marco said in a low voice and it was enough to gradually set the nerves of Ace's skin on fire. He moved close enough to move his mouth against the skin of Ace's neck. "God, I want you."

This was too much. Ace could feel his heart pounding, his blood rushing through his veins. Marco's actions and words made him feel so good, so unbelievably good. And at this specific moment, Ace didn't want anything else. He didn't want anyone else.

There was absolutely no need for Ace to hold back anymore. He didn't have to be afraid of giving in to Marco. He knew the blond was in the same situation, they were both longing for each other's touch.

Ace didn't need a mirror to know that his own dark eyes were filled with desire for Marco. He could feel how his body was slowly burning from the sensation of Marco's proximity. Marco drew back and looked at Ace, his blue eyes burning with something Ace couldn't name. His heart raced with excitement and he could feel the heat in his lower belly.

Marco also seemed to be affected greatly, considering the way his skin looked so flushed, obviously burning for Ace as well. He kept one of his hands on Ace's waist and moved the other one up to caress Ace's cheek gently. The anticipating was so intense, Ace just wanted to close his eyes and allow his body to drown into the amazing feeling of Marco's touch. He fought to keep his eyes open, only to see Marco moving his face closer and closer, the air between them heating up from the warmth of their bodies.

The blond licked his lips slowly, never breaking eye contact with Ace. He moved close enough to softly brush his lips against Ace's warm mouth. "Do you really want this, yoi?" His voice sounded rough and filled with passion for the younger man. Ace had to swallow thickly. He moved his head, giving Marco a nod.

"Say it, Ace." The other demanded and it only resulted in Ace's heart beating faster.

"I want you, Marco." He said and was surprised how secure his voice sounded. Marco smiled and moved closer to Ace, their lips touching.

Marco started gently, simply moving his lips slowly against Ace's. The freckled man could feel the warmth of Marco's lips on his and was pleased to notice that Marco's body was just equally hot as his own. They parted several times, only to bring their mouths back together again.

Ace felt the passion in his body slowly building up. He wanted more than this. He wanted so much more than just a gentle kiss. He moved his own hands up to grab a fistful of Marco's blond hair, slamming the man's mouth harder against his own. Marco released a growl in the back of his throat and placed both of his hands on Ace's waist, pulling the younger man against his body almost desperately.

But the dark-haired man needed more. He grabbed Marco's purple shirt and pulled him closer, their chests touching. He didn't know why, but he felt like he needed to hold on to Marco to not lose himself completely in his desire.

Marco then pushed their hips together, earning a soft moan from the younger man that was completely muffled by Marco's mouth on his. Ace allowed his hand to move all over Marco's chest, touching as much heated skin as their current position allowed. His breath hitched when he touched Marco's large tattoo, the symbol of his pride, and he couldn't bring himself to stop touching it. Ace moved his fingers softly along the mark, simply enjoying the feeling.

The touch made Marco release a small groan, the vibration tickling Ace's mouth in a pleasant way. He felt Marco's tongue against his lips and quickly granted him entrance. The sensation was stealing the air from his lungs and Ace could only arch his back to press their bodies together again. God, Ace felt like he was on fire.

Without thinking about it, Ace started to rock his hips against Marco's, creating more of that delicious friction. He could feel Marco's erection through their clothes and just wanted to rub his own body against him, his own arousal aching for release. He was panting in the hot air around them, shivering as their bodies moved against each other so perfectly.

Suddenly, Marco stilled Ace's movements with a tight grip on his hip. "Ace..." His voice was so rough, completely filled with need, it made everything so much more exciting. "Let's continue in my room, okay?"

Ace's mind was still a little dazed as most of his blood left his brain to travel south. He panted erratically and managed to whisper a low "Yes.", never breaking eye contact with Marco's lust filled orbs. His head was still so clouded with desire, he simply couldn't come up with any other answer.

He didn't want to resist anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Satan told me it was a good idea to stop right here. The next chapter will be the final one, I'll make sure to write it as fast as I can (; Please tell me what you think so far!**


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